Trinket watched without fear or expression as the molten tiger approached. She knew of such creatures, but she had never met one before. She watched its movements, studying every motion of every molten muscle. Curious. She wondered if it might try to kill her and eat her. Curious indeed.
Unexpectedly, the tiger reacted passively, slowly and meticulously killing a crab. She watched carefully, seeing the point where the tiger's claw penetrated the shell. Interesting. She noted the lesson well.
It was at the tiger's simple nod that she deduced it must have been a shapechanger. Molten tigers, according to the knowledge she'd been given, should not show signs of human intelligence. Curious.
Her focus, however, remained on the crab, which still dangled by its claw from her hand. She turned her hand this way and that, looking for a place to pierce the shell. She twisted her hand around so she could grab the shell in the same hand the crab was clamped down on. She registered an increase in pain, but still showed no outward sign of it.
She raised the knife and pressed the tip of the blade in the same place the tiger had with its claw. She pushed the blade as hard as she could, but it was hard to do. She jabbed at the shell a few times, unable to pierce the shell.
She paused for a moment, silently considering the best solution. Then a thought occurred to her.
She held the knife's edge up to the crab, then commanded it to cut. The knife moved back and forth in her hand, slowly digging its blade into the shell. Too slow. Cut faster she commanded it. The knife picked up speed, moving faster than she could have done with her own bare hands.
It still took some time, but soon the crab stopped moving. It went limp, the claw releasing her hand. The crab fell to the ground.
Trinket looked at her hand. She was bleeding. Curious. She had never bled before. She watched the trickle of blood oozing from the punctures in her skin. Studied each drop as it fell to the sand. Watched it closely as the deep red of the blood was reflected in her glassy black eyes.
Curious indeed.
Unexpectedly, the tiger reacted passively, slowly and meticulously killing a crab. She watched carefully, seeing the point where the tiger's claw penetrated the shell. Interesting. She noted the lesson well.
It was at the tiger's simple nod that she deduced it must have been a shapechanger. Molten tigers, according to the knowledge she'd been given, should not show signs of human intelligence. Curious.
Her focus, however, remained on the crab, which still dangled by its claw from her hand. She turned her hand this way and that, looking for a place to pierce the shell. She twisted her hand around so she could grab the shell in the same hand the crab was clamped down on. She registered an increase in pain, but still showed no outward sign of it.
She raised the knife and pressed the tip of the blade in the same place the tiger had with its claw. She pushed the blade as hard as she could, but it was hard to do. She jabbed at the shell a few times, unable to pierce the shell.
She paused for a moment, silently considering the best solution. Then a thought occurred to her.
She held the knife's edge up to the crab, then commanded it to cut. The knife moved back and forth in her hand, slowly digging its blade into the shell. Too slow. Cut faster she commanded it. The knife picked up speed, moving faster than she could have done with her own bare hands.
It still took some time, but soon the crab stopped moving. It went limp, the claw releasing her hand. The crab fell to the ground.
Trinket looked at her hand. She was bleeding. Curious. She had never bled before. She watched the trickle of blood oozing from the punctures in her skin. Studied each drop as it fell to the sand. Watched it closely as the deep red of the blood was reflected in her glassy black eyes.
Curious indeed.
